It’s not often that your school is home to two teachers who are happily married to each other, and even more rare that they teach the same subject. Psychology and U.S. history teacher Jennifer Bauer and U.S. and world history teacher Kraig Bauer are well-known members of the school community, both playing a significant role in this school’s success for over 20 years. Although they have similarities, given that they are married, teach similar topics and have a shared passion for history, the two have different approaches to maintaining an engaged and focused class environment.

Jen Bauer, known for her welcoming, inclusive and warm personality, runs her classroom on the, as she described it, more laid-back side. In terms of discipline, Jen Bauer’s key to classroom management is establishing class rules and standards in the first few classes of the semester so that the rest of the year will run smoothly. Her goal is to maintain a relaxed and interactive atmosphere so that students can learn easily and comfortably. “The nature of psych is to get the kids talking, so I’ve always done that,” Jen Bauer said.

Students have also noted that Jen Bauer teaches content such as psychology terms, theories or behavioral patterns by giving examples of real-life scenarios, leaving them with an understanding of the concept rather than memorizing the definition. “Mrs. Bauer teaches in a way that helps me understand what is being taught. She gives examples in a way that allows me to apply terms to real situations and has a lecturing style that is informative and easygoing,” junior Isabelle Weiner said.

While emphasizing that Kraig Bauer has tighter rules than she does, Jen Bauer deeply admires his ability to effectively teach his students and help them grow their understanding of world history. “He is more strict but is able to convey so much knowledge on history,” Jen Bauer said. “He seriously knows everything.”

Junior Gabriella Estrada also highly values Kraig Bauer’s teaching techniques. She said that while he makes the consequences to breaking rules well-known, his rules are fair and practical. These rules include keeping phones at the front of the room for the duration of class, following the 10-minute bathroom rule and minimal to zero talking during lectures and instruction. “He expects you to come to class ready to learn,” Estrada said. “He laid out all of his rules on the first day, and they are completely reasonable and understandable.”

Although different, both Jen Bauer and Kraig Bauer use effective strategies that receive positive feedback. Jen Bauer uses an understanding, low-stress approach, while Kraig Bauer closely follows disciplined rules. At the end of the day, it seems as though the two are equally successful in helping students expand their knowledge and grow as learners. “I have had both Mr. and Mrs. Bauer as teachers and they are both great teachers,” Weiner said. “Even though their styles of keeping students on task and dealing with off-task students are different, they both have strong teaching styles that definitely worked for me.”